Reenforced seal



@et 30 1923. A LWgl o. M. BANGS REENFORCED SEAL Filed Feb. 17. 1923 2 SheS-Shet 1 g4/ummm @am ZJ-@WS @et 30, i923. lml

o. M. BANGS REENFORCED SEAL Filed Feb. 17. 1923 2 SheelS-Shee 2 afg.

BETH Ammann am Patented @eh 309, i923.

@WEE M. IBNGS, OF BROOKLYN, YORK.

BEENFORCED SEAL.

Application ed February 17, 1923. Serial No. 619,680.

To all` wiom it may concern.'

Be it known that ll, OWEN M. BANGS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Reenforced Seals, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates primarily to a closure fastener for handbags, luggage, trunks, cases, containers, and packages of every kind and description, and more particularly to a l.f unimcd seal reeni'orced by means oi' a thin strip of metal and adapted to he pasted, or otherwise fastened over the closure. line of the handbag, luggage, trunk, case, container, and packages of every kind a nd description.

The invention further relates to a novel forni ot' seal which may be used for any purpose.

The principal object. of the invention is lo provide a closure fastener 'which may be readily attached to articles sudi as handbags. luggage, trunks, cases, containers, and packages ot every kind and description, and which cannot be removed surreptitiously therefrom hy an unauthorized person without detection. Another object is to provide such a fastener which will not be accidentally -broken or torn by the rough usage incident lo normal handling. A further object is to provide a seal upon which sonic identitying mark may he printed, written or stamped, this mark preferably extending; across the closure line of the article on which attached.

(,)thcr objects will appear from the followingr description, reference beingr had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate various embodiments of my invention, though obviously numerous other changes in details may he made withoutl departing 'ti-oui the scope of the invention.

ln the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a handbucprovided with the reenforced seal.

Fin. 2 is a top plan view of the seal alone, the dotted lines indicating the metal-reinforcing' strip.

Fig.' 3 is a bottom plan View of the seal.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of the seal showing a portion of the outer strip broken. away to reveal the reinforcing strip.

Fig. 5 is anenlarged detail section of line 5 5 of Fig. l, showing the means by which the three strips which together forni the seal are secured together.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the sealattached to a shipping hox or case.

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and l() illustrate modifications o f the seal adapted for use in various relations. I

Lead seals have long heen in use for protecting freight cars, boxes and the like from unauthorized opening without detection. Furthermore, the use of paper seals on let:1 ters, envelopes and the like is common and well known. lt has even been proposed to use paper seals i'or boxes and baggage. However, such seals are objectionable in that they are vreadily broken hy the rough usage incident to the normal handling of baggage.

The present invention aims to combine the advantages of both forms of seals pr viously used. In other words, the seal which, forms the subjectI of this invention possesses the strength and durability of the old type of lead and wire seal and combines therewith the convenience ot' the paper seal being readily applied to any article of baggage, and being available for receiving any distinguishing' or characteristic marking lor numbering.

The seal is applicable to any kind of hand bag, trunk, case, box, and package of every kind and description, and may' even he used in sealing freight car doors, though this is not the primary object' for which it was designed.

In Fig. l the reenforced seal designated generally by the reference numeral l0 is shown as applied to a traveling bag of well known construction. The handbag is shut, and preferably locked, and the seal is then secured across the line ot' closure, the opposite ends thereof extending down the sides of the bag. Any suitable adhesive or gum is applied to the bag contacting face of the seal.

The seal is shown as enlarged at its ends 12 and 14 and at its center portion 13. The latter portion may extend over and protect the lock l5 from tampering by any unauthorized person. The keyhole is thus completely covered and cannot be reached Without breaking the seal. lf desired a. serial number as 1G may be printed upon each enlarged portion, and, if desired, the naine of the owner of the baggage may be written in one of the spaces. @ther por tions of the seal may be employed for the name of the express company and the destination of the passenger. Obviously these features may be varled according to the necessities of any particular case, a number of Variations being shown in Figs. T, 8, 9 and 10, and hereinafter described in detail.

The seal 10 may be reenforced in any suitable manner. As shown it consists of three strips, an outer strip 17 of gummed paper, a center strip 18 preferably of thin metal, copper being generally used as the reinforcing material and a lower strip 19, preferably of fabric which serves primarily in binding together the strips 1T and 18. As clearly shown in Figure 8, the strip 19 extends laterally beyond the edges of the strip 18 but not to the edges of the outer strip 17. The outer portions of the binding strip 19 are cemented .to the paper strip, thus making it impossible to separate the two without detection. Further binding of the strips is secured by forcing the material of which the strip 18 and 19 are formed through the paper strip 17, thus forming binding lugs 20.

The whole lower face of the seal which comes in contact with the surface of the bag 11 is provided with a suitable gum or adhesive (Fig. 3) which covers the outer lateral edges of the paper strip `and the entire face of the binding strip 19.

It will be found that a seal of this character is not broken by the ordinary usage which is attendant upon travel. The seal is readily applied to the handbag, and when once applied cannot be surreptitiously removed by any unauthorized person. Furthermore, owing to the firm manner in which the parts of the seal are secured together it is impossible to remove the paper strip alone and replace it with "another strip, which is not the true one.

Many changes will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art to which this device pertains, without departing from the spirit of the invention, for example, the particular type of reinforcing strip described herein is not essential to the invention.

In Fig. 6 the seal 10 is shown as applied to a shipping box 21 which possesses no lock or fasteningdevice other than the seal. The reinforcing metal strip within the seal serves to prevent the lid of the boX from being broken open by the jars incident to travel, while the -appearance of the seal will indicate any unauthorized tampering therewith. It is impossible to remove the seal without tearing the edges of the outer paper strip and breaking or permanently distorting the metallic reinforcing strip.

The seal may be used for various purposes, a. number of modifications being shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Fig. 7 illustrates a printed form adapted for use by a transfer company. As shown,

the enlarged portions of the seal, 12, 13 and 14, all bear the same serial number by means of which the article may be identified. If, by any chance, one of the seal portions shall be broken off the other two remain for identification. Each seal bears also the name of the transfer company, the drivers name and number, an indication of the route travelled and the time of departure On reaching the destination the baggage is checked and the numbers of the check and tag are recorded upon the seal inthe proper spaces indicated at the right in Fig. 7.

A hotel might use a printed form such as is shown in Fig. 8. `The center enlarged seal portion identifies the hotel. The seal on the left may be used for identifying the guest, and is shown as bearing the guests name, room number, the date, and the name of the orter who assists him with his baggage. IlVhen the guest leaves the hotel the spaces at the right of the seal or filled out, these spaces being used for identifying the driver who takes the baggage to the depot, the route and tag number.

Fig. 9 shows a printed form to be used by a merchant. The seal may be applied to shipping boxes or cases of all sorts. The character of the'goods, their destination, the packer and the shipper may be indicated in the proper spaces upon the seal.

Fig. 10 indicates a seal which may be used by railroads. In this variation, the station number, the destination, the name of the exchangeman, the check number and the date may be marked upon ythe seal.

The modifications herein described are shown merely for the purpose of illustrating some of the. uses to which the seals may be put, but its uses are not to be construed as limited to those enumerated.

I claim:

1. A reenforced seal for baggage and the like, comprising a strip of paper, a thin metallic strip secured thereto, a binding strip of fabric laterally overlapping the upper strip and cemented to the paper Strip, the exposed lower face of the paper and fabric being provided with a suitable adhesive substance. i

2. A triple reenforced seal for baggage and 'the like, comprising an upper strip of gummed paper, another intermediate strip of metal, and a lower binding strip of fabric secured to the paper strip and overlying the metallic strip. i

3. A reenforced seal for baggage and fthe like, comprising an outer strip of paper, an intermediate metallic reinforcing strip secured to the paper, and a fabric strip extending laterally beyond the metallic strip but not to the lateral edges of the paper strip, the uncovered portions of the lower face of the paper and the entire exposed face of the fabric strip being provided with an adhesive substance whereby the seal may be secured to the baggage.

4. A closure fastener for baggage and the like, comprising a strip of gummed paper reenforced by a strip of metal, the reenforcing strip being pasted to the baggage, and extending over the line of closure.

5.- lhe combination with an articleof baggage or the like, provided with a lock, of a closure fastening secured thereto comprising a reenforced seal adapted to be secured to said article, and comprising a strip baving an enlarged central portion adapted to cover the lock and having two side strips extending a substantial dlstance on opposite sidesof the central portion, and pasted to the article.

6. A closure fastener for articles of baggage and the like, comprising a strip or paper gummed on one side and capable of retainingwritten'impressions on the other,

`said seal :being suitably reenforced by a metallic strip, the reenforced strip being pasted over the closure line of the said article. v l

7. A reenforceol seal for baggage and tbe like comprising a strip of ged paper reenforced by a strip of metal, a binding strip of fabric secured to the paper strip and overlying tlie metallic strip, metal and fabric strips being forced through the paper tace and riveted over to form binding lugs.

8. The combination with an article of baggage or the like, provided With a lock, of a reenforced seal adapted to be secured to said article, and comprising a strip having an enlarged central portion adapted to cover the lock, and having two side strips extending a substantial distance on opposite sides of the centra-l portion and pasted to the article.

WEN BMGS.

a portion of the 

